Hindu scriptures
Amendra Pokhrel’s article “Defending Hinduism” (Sept 6) is a baseless rejoinder to my previous piece “Satanic Verses” (Sep 2). He casts aspersions on me by saying that I had cherry-picked verses from Hindu scriptures showing Dalits in a degrading manner. But the truth is that he could not digest the bitter reality that Hindu scriptures discriminate against Dalits. Pokhrel seems to force-feed the readers his illogic junk with exaggeration and manipulation of facts. The twisted mentality of the author not only debars him from accepting the ground realities, but also compels him in making such a dismal reaction to my well-researched article.
My article did not intend to insult the sacred Hindu texts. Personally, I have no intolerance against Hinduism. It was more of a sharing of insights on discrimination against Shudras in Hinduism, based on rigorous analysis of the scriptures. It is my conviction that the oppressive mode of production in Hindu society has exploited Shudras in several forms: economic, moral, physical and mental.
It’s intriguing why the writer has borrowed the definition of Hinduism from Wordweb or Wikipedia. Wasn’t Hindupedia sufficient to describe it per se? Probably not! It’s because the anticipated definition would contain the concept of purity and pollute the foundation of Hinduism.
Pokhrel portrays that Shudras have not acquired proper culture. What is the definition of proper culture to the author? If one becomes Shuddha (pure) only by doing karmakanda (rituals), it is again these granthas that stop Shudras to go into purificatory process. Some years ago Pashupati temple priests were nabbed flagrante delicto in a dance bar at Thamel carrying out sexual misconduct. But no further action was taken against them and a couple of days after the incident they resumed their duties in the temple. Their purity and chastity was never questioned. Is that what proper culture is? Why should these priests be respected even if they know every verse of the Vedas by heart?
Pokhrel’s claim that “Only after acquiring proper culture does one ascend to a higher birth” holds no water. No Shudra by the virtue of his deeds and saintly behavior has been promoted to Brahmin ever. Had it been so, Chaturvedi (one who has mastered four Vedas) Bhagat Sarbajit Bishwokarma would not be just known as a historical Dalit revolutionist but a Brahmin. Despite his comprehensive knowledge of the Vedas, enough to defeat contemporary Brahmin priests in shastrartha, he was exiled in the charges of blasphemy, sedition, treason and what not. Many Shudras became learned scholars thereafter too, but none has been upgraded to Brahmin, the so-called noblest caste. Ironically, majority Brahmins and Kshatriyas in present times do not even adhere to basic Hindu norms.
It is paradoxical that the Vedas say that one who knows Veda should be respected but again only Brahmins are allowed to read Vedas and become priests, whereas Shudras are destined to do menial jobs. The Shudras have always been excluded from the Vedic religion; they could be put to death for speaking Sanskrit in ancient times (athāsya vedam upashrnvat astrapujat ubhyam shrotraprati poornam). So how would they gain Vedic knowledge? What kind of Vedic justice is this? Had Vedas allowed meritocracy, there would at least be a handful of Shudra rulers in the history.
Hindus’ most favorite treatise Gita’s central chapter contains a condescending and patronizing shloka insisting that Shudras are born from the womb of sin (paapayonayah). Now, why should this treatise be respected by the Shudras which degrades them for no fault of their own?
There are two types of treatises in Hindu religion: Shruti grantha and Smriti grantha. Shruti is read to perceive spiritual divinity and Smriti to conduct day to day behavior. Vedas and Upanishads are Shruti granthas while Puranas, Manusmiriti, Yagyavalkyasmriti are Smriti granthas. Verses pertaining to Shudras in Shruti are not as demeaning as Smriti. Going through Manusmriti, one can realize that the verses ghettoize the Shudras. Even a hardcore Hindu should have been disenchanted with its degrading and demeaning verses. This discrimination is not limited to Shudras, even the women share similar fate in Hindutva.
People started forgetting discriminatory Vedic laws only after fearing the punishment encoded in the laws of modern states. Indian Dalit icon Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar is credited for bringing forward this provision of punishment in the Indian sub-continent some 80 years ago. Ambedkar and noted Indian historian Romila Thapar have opined that Islamic invasion helped to mellow the caste based discriminations prescribed by the bigoted texts at least in some countries.
Rather than defending Hindusim with all its ills, it would have been better if Pokhrel had appealed pundits to chuck out demeaning verses from Hindu scriptures. Now, social realities are always constructed. Vasa (sterile cows) venerated now were killed for consumption during Vedic period in the name of agnadheya and vajapeya sacrifice and Pundits said that “vaidiki himsa himsa na bhawati” meaning Vedic violence is no violence. But violence and sacrifice of cows is no longer practiced. Everything changes in tune of the time. The discriminatory practices in Hinduism should be altered by today’s enlightened Brahmins. The verses pertaining to caste-based discriminations should be erased out or redacted.
If religious conversion is not a solution for Dalits as Pokhrel claims, rigid Hindutva is no better. Would wise pundits then facilitate Upanayana (Brahmanization) of Shudras en-masse? Upgrade the caste of Shudras, and there is no need for religious conversion! In order to promote Vedic Dharma, Swami Dayanand in India used to distribute sacred thread widely. He even voiced for large-scale inter-caste marriages among Hindu families of equivalent status. Defenders of Hinduism should take a leaf from Swami Dayananda as the basic foundation to cultural assimilation.
The author is Fredskorpset Fellow at Kislay India from Samata Foundation Nepal
rajendrasenchury@yahoo.com
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